HeliumThe Dirt of Luck (Matador) (star) (star)...

Mo RyanCHICAGO TRIBUNE

Helium

The Dirt of Luck (Matador) (star) (star) (star)

If director Tim Burton decided to create a twisted new Charlie Brown cartoon, Mary Timony of Helium would be the perfect person to write the soundtrack. On Helium's first full length record, dark, pummeling rhythms and off-kilter, clanging melodies create a funhouse atmosphere as compelling as it is sweetly creepy. Timony expertly deploys fuzzy, snaky guitar lines and her own smoky voice to create unforgettable melodies that don't depend on the obviousness of straightforward pop.